The rivalry between Persepolis and Sepahan is a footballing rivalry played between Iranian clubs Persepolis and Sepahan.
History
2006 Hazfi Cup Final
This rivalry started in 2006 when Sepahan and Persepolis contested the Hafzi Cup championship, Iranian football's second-most prestigious competition. After both teams drew 1–1 in the first leg in Tehran, the two sides returned to Esfahan's Nagshe Jahan Stadium for the second leg, which would decide the champion. The game ended with a 1–1 draw even after extra time, which led to a penalty shootout, which led to a Sepahan winning the shootout 4–2.
2007 Hazfi Cup Semifinal
The two sides would meet again at the 2007 Hazfi Cup semifinal at the Azadi Stadium. After 90 minutes of regular time, the score was 1-1, which led to an extra-time hat-trick by Mahmoud Karimi, leading to Sepahan's 4–1 victory. Sepahan would go on to win the Hafzi Cup 4–0 on aggregate against Saba Battery.
2008 IPL Championship
Throughout the 2007–2008 Iran Pro League season, Persepolis, under new head coach Afshin Ghotbi, were first in the league. The only significant title contender were Sepahan. In the middle of the season, Persepolis and Sepahan met at Esfahan's Fouladshahr Stadium. Sepahan won that game 2–1, handing Persepolis their first loss of the season. However, Sepahan would lose five points (reduced to three on an appeal) due to fan violence. But Persepolis also lost six points due to inability to pay former players. All things considered, Sepahan had a two-point lead over Persepolis at the top going into the last week of the season.
As fate would have it, the two teams would meet on the last day of the season in front 100,000 raucous fans in Azadi Stadium. Sepahan needed only a point to be crowned champs, while nothing less than a victory would do for the red giants. Persepolis got off to a dream start with a goal in the 18th minute from the league's top goalscorer, Mohsen Khalili. Khalili would also go on to hit the post and Persepolis was also denied a penalty kick on a controversial non-call by referee Saeed Mozafarri. Those misses would prove to be costly as 18-year-old sensation Ehsan Hajisafi would tie the game on a breakaway in the 30th minute. At halftime, it remained 1–1, and Sepahan was just 45 minutes away from breaking the reds' hearts once more.
Throughout the second half, it was all one-way traffic as Ghotbi's men put four strikers upfront against Sepahan's defense, which still stood strong for almost the entire second half and did not allow Persepolis to get the imperative goal they needed. After 90 minutes plus five minutes of stoppage time, the score was still the same, and Sepahan was getting ready to celebrate. But this time, luck would shift Persepolis' way. A Khalili free kick bounced at the feet of Karim Bagheri. Bagheri's experience would take over from there, as he sent a high cross to Sepehr Heidari who headed the ball in the back of the net in the 96th minute, giving Persepolis the championship, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Heidari's goal earned him a spot in Persepolis lore and proved to be a historic and memorable moment in team history.
2009 Hazfi Cup Round of 16
The two teams would meet at the Azadi Stadium again, this time in the Round of 16 of the Hazfi Cup. This time, however, both teams had been through a very lackluster season as they both changed coaches twice during the regular season. Sepahan and Persepolis finished 4th and 5th respectively in the IPL, which meant a very underachieving season for both teams.
Persepolis would take an early lead on a 12th minute cracker by Maziar Zare. Since then, the game became more lively as both teams created numerous chances. Zare also missed a golden opportunity to double his goal tally and Persepolis' lead after missing a penalty kick. In second half stoppage time, Sepahan captain Moharram Navidkia also squandered a tailor-made opportunity by firing over the bar from just a few yards out. Persepolis would go on to the quarterfinals, where they went down 2–1 to Pas Hamedan.
The aftermath of this game was very ironic in the sense that Sepahan, despite crashing out of the Hazfi Cup, would still qualify for the AFC Champions League because neighbors Zob Ahan, who finished second (among the top three) in the IPL, won the Hazfi Cup, which gave 4th placed Sepahan qualification to the AFC Champions League. Persepolis, however, had nothing to show for their efforts after having a more expensive squad than last season, when they won the IPL.
2013 Hazfi Cup Final The 2013 Hazfi Cup Final was the clubs' second meeting in the final where Sepahan won 4–2 over Persepolis in the penalties in 2006. The match was also the last match of Persepolis captain Mehdi Mahdavikia, a former Iran national football team and Hamburg SV midfielder. After failed to agree on a venue between Ahvaz, Mashhad and Tabriz, final venue was decided with draw which Azadi Stadium was announced as the venue for the 2013 final. The two teams finished 1–1 in regular time and 2–2 after extra-time. The game went to penalties and Sepahan defeated Persepolis 4–2 in the penalty shootout.
Iranian League No.DateHome teamScoreAway teamHome goal scorersAway goal scorersVenueCompetition11972–Feb-11Sepahan1–2PersepolisHajrasouli (9)Kalani (42), Khordbin (67)Isfahan1971–72 Local League21972–Mar-19Persepolis6–0SepahanAdibi (3), Behzadi (11, 55), Parvin (57), Khordbin (64), Vatankhah (83)–Tehran31974–Apr-12Sepahan0–1Persepolis–Parvin (13 p.)Isfahan1974–75 Takht Jamshid Cup41974–Oct-25Persepolis3–0SepahanIranpak (60), Dastjerdi (82, 85)–Tehran51975–May-29Persepolis1–0SepahanHaj Rahimipour (26)–Tehran1975–76 Takht Jamshid Cup61975–Nov-21Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan71976–Aug-20Persepolis2–2SepahanHaj Rahimipour (18), Parvin (62)Yazdkhasti (77 p.), Saffarpour (78)Tehran1976–77 Takht Jamshid Cup81976–Dec-3Sepahan1–1PersepolisSaffarpour (22)Fattahi (68)Isfahan91977–Jul-15Persepolis3–0SepahanKhordbin (14), Dehghan (23 o.g.), Iranpak (25)–Tehran1977–78 Takht Jamshid Cup101978–Jan-6Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan121989–Aug-28Sepahan1–1PersepolisTalakesh (26)Kermani Moghaddam (64)Isfahan1989–90 Qods League131990–Mar-16Persepolis3–0SepahanAbedian (37), Yousefi (59), Bavi (77)–Tehran141991–Aug-9Persepolis3–0SepahanMohammadkhani (5, 15), Moharrami (23 p.)–Tehran1991–92 Azadegan League151992–Feb-28Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan161993–Nov-12Persepolis3–0SepahanShahmohammadi (47), Pious (55), Manafi (83)–Tehran1993–94 Azadegan League171994–Jan-25Sepahan1–0PersepolisMotahari (80 p.)–Isfahan181995–Aug-4Persepolis1–1SepahanShirmohammadi (42)Ghanbari (65 p.)Tehran1995–96 Azadegan League191996–Jan-7Sepahan1–1PersepolisGhanbari (62)Rahbarifar (59)Isfahan211996–Oct-30Persepolis2–2SepahanRahbarifar (4), Bezik (25)Stepanyan (47), Veisi (67 p.)Tehran1996–97 Azadegan League221997–Mar-15Sepahan1–0PersepolisStepanyan (14)–Isfahan231998–Oct-9Sepahan1–0PersepolisStepanyan (59)–Isfahan1998–99 Azadegan League241999–Feb-22Persepolis3–1SepahanBezik (39, 81), Estili (66)Dehghani (18)Tehran271999–Nov-20Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan1999–2000 Azadegan League282000–Apr-28Persepolis1–0SepahanSeraj 31'–Tehran292000–Dec-23Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan2000–01 Azadegan League302001–Apr-19Persepolis0–2Sepahan–Mousavi (67, 86)Tabriz312001–Nov-23Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan2001–02 Iran Pro League322002–Mar-17Persepolis3–2SepahanRahbarifar (23 p.), Aslanian (86), Abolghasempour (90+3)Stepanyan (46), Hajipour (64)Tehran332003–Jan-02Sepahan2–1PersepolisBezik (23), Navidkia (86 p.)Ansarian (61)Isfahan2002–03 Iran Pro League342003–May-19Persepolis1–1SepahanAnsarian (82)Farshbaf (62)Tehran352003–Sep-30Persepolis3–3SepahanJabbari (23), Salmani (52), Traoré (73)Talebnasab (37), Bezik (40 p., 48)Tehran2003–04 Iran Pro League362004–Jan-16Sepahan1–2PersepolisKarimi Sibaki (46)Peyrovani (54), Jamshidi (89)Isfahan372004–Oct-29Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan2004–05 Iran Pro League382005–May-15Persepolis1–2SepahanKazemian (17)Khatibi (76, 90+2)Tehran392005–Dec-23Persepolis2–3SepahanKazemian (35), P. Nouri (56)Khatibi (30, 68'), Jafari (52)Tehran2005–06 Iran Pro League402006–Apr-21Sepahan2–0PersepolisKhatibi (69), Mujiri (85)–Isfahan432006–Oct-22Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan2006–07 Persian Gulf Cup442007–Feb-9Persepolis2–1SepahanHajizadeh (18), Madanchi (89)Navidkia (78)Tehran462007–Dec-31Sepahan2–1PersepolisNosrati (36 o.g.), Mohammed (41)Aghaei (80)Isfahan2007–08 Persian Gulf Cup472008–May-17Persepolis2–1SepahanKhalili (16), S. Heydari (90+6)Hajsafi (29)Tehran482008–Oct-26Persepolis3–2SepahanBagheri (12), Vahedi Nikbakht (45, 64)Mohammed (28, 34)Tehran2008–09 Persian Gulf Cup492009–Feb-27Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan512009–Nov-28Sepahan2–1PersepolisToure (27), Aghili (90 p.)S. Heydari (65)Isfahan2009–10 Persian Gulf Cup522010–May-18Persepolis1–1SepahanNorouzi (47)Karimian (77)Tehran532010–Sep-29Persepolis1–4SepahanTiago (31)Toure (41), Aghili (66 p.), Kh. Heydari 73', Enayati (86 p.)Tehran2010–11 Persian Gulf Cup542011–May-15Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan562011–Nov 19Persepolis0–0Sepahan––Tehran2011–12 Persian Gulf Cup572012–Apr-12Sepahan1–1PersepolisSukaj (81)M. Nouri (86)Isfahan582012–Sep-23Sepahan2–0PersepolisKolahkaj (51), Sukaj (72)–Isfahan2012–13 Persian Gulf Cup592013–Feb-26Persepolis1–0SepahanNorouzi (90+2)–Tehran612013–Sep-20Sepahan2–0PersepolisAghili (6 p.), Jahan Alian (90+4)–Isfahan2013–14 Persian Gulf Cup622014–Jan-31Persepolis2–0SepahanAbbaszadeh (12), Aliasgari (18)–Tehran632014–Oct-3Sepahan1–0PersepolisSharifi (90+4)–Isfahan2014–15 Persian Gulf Pro League642015–Apr-16Persepolis1–2SepahanNorouzi (44)Sharifi (85), Chimba (90+2)Tehran652015–Aug-13Sepahan4–2PersepolisHajsafi (8), Umaña (39 o.g.), Aghili (56 p.), Khalatbari (82)Taremi (12), Alishah (32)Isfahan2015–16 Persian Gulf Pro League662016–Feb-02Persepolis2–2SepahanAlipour (50), Kamyabinia (75)Musaev (10), Chimba (65)Tehran672016–Sep-21Sepahan1–3PersepolisHajsafi (23),Alishah (15), Taremi (61, 74)Isfahan2016–17 Persian Gulf Pro League682017–Feb-18Persepolis2–1SepahanTaremi (61), Rezaeian (88 p.)Reykani (80 p.)Tehran692017–Sep-21Sepahan2–2PersepolisHussein (61), Alimohammadi (87)Taremi (39 p.), Alipour (74)Isfahan2017–18 Persian Gulf Pro League702018–Feb-3Persepolis2–0SepahanAlipour (10) Khalilzadeh (68)–Tehran712018–Dec-09Sepahan1–1PersepolisPourghaz (74)Alipour (89 p.)Isfahan2018–19 Persian Gulf Pro League722019–Apr-26Persepolis0–0Sepahan––Tehran742019–Sep-26Persepolis0–2Sepahan–Kiros (81), Mo. Mohebi (85)Tehran2019–20 Persian Gulf Pro League752020–Feb-23Sepahan(awarded)0–3Persepolis––Isfahan762021–Jan-05Persepolis0–0Sepahan––Tehran2020–21 Persian Gulf Pro League772021–May-09Sepahan1–1PersepolisMo. Mohebi (87)Alekasir (55)Isfahan792021–Dec-29Sepahan0–1Persepolis–Kamyabinia (33)Arak2021–22 Persian Gulf Pro League802022–May-14Persepolis1–2SepahanA. Nemati (83)Nejadmehdi (36), Shahbazzadeh (48)Sirjan812022–Oct-07Sepahan0–0Persepolis––Isfahan2022–23 Persian Gulf Pro League842023–Mar-11Persepolis0–1Sepahan–Mo. Karimi (90+4)Tehran852023–Nov-12Sepahan1–0PersepolisR. Asadi (70)–Isfahan2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League862024–May-01Persepolis0–0Sepahan––Tehran872024–Dec-18Sepahan2–1PersepolisHazbavi (16), Limouchi (71)Khodabandelou (25)Isfahan2024–25 Persian Gulf Pro League902025–Apr-18Persepolis0–2Sepahan–Me. Mohebi (2), Gvelesiani (12 o.g.)Tehran912025–Aug-25Sepahan0–1Persepolis–Alipour (44)Isfahan2025–26 Persian Gulf Pro League922026–Jan-23Persepolis2–1SepahanUrunov (53), Sergeev (72)Alves (90+13 p.)Tehran
Iranian Cups Hazfi Cup